If you've forgotten what this story is about (I almost did), I suggest re-reading it (I had to), it's not that long. Here’s the next chapter all. Sorry it took so long, well it took forever. But I’ve been having the worst week of my life so far. My girlfriend of 2 years broke up with me. Then I found out that she cheated...so I’ve sort of been a miserable mess. I started going thru some boxes and I found the rest of this story and some others. So here’s another chapter. I hope you like it. Reviews would really really make my day if you’ve got the time...I’m gonna go type the next chapter now...enjoy.

“We should wash our dishes before we do anything else.” Emma said finishing up.

“Think we’ll find her?” Emily asked following her sister to the sink.

“I don’t think she’s too far. If mom knows where she is I doubt we’ll have that hard of a time finding her.” Emma said.

“Em, mom can check on us at school, and we’re like 200 miles away. Just because she can sense Shal, doesn’t mean she’s close by.”

Finishing with the dishes, the girls went up to check on their mother. They stopped a few feet from the door. Both of them could hear the stifled sobs that came from the other side. Emma opened the door and walked in. Her mother was curled up on the floor in the corner of the room. She ran to her and wrapped her arms around her. Emma accepted her daughters embrace and hugged her back. Emily watched from the doorway. She ran to the den and logged on to the computer. She typed in the address only to find no match. She opened up the mutant database and searched again. This time, she got a match.

His name was Arthur Millur and he was 51 years old. Feral. Emily wrote down the address. She broadcast a message to see how her mom was doing. Emma had been able to get her into bed and she was asleep. Minutes later the girls met in the garage and Emily told Emma what she’d found.

“What does he have to do with anything?” Emma asked getting in the driver seat.

“That’s what we’re going to find out.” Emily said as they drove off.

“Maybe we’re jumping to conclusions. He might not have anything to do with us at all.” Emma suggested.

“Well all I know is that mom cried herself to sleep and this guy was the last thing on her mind.” Emily said.

“She asked me a question before she fell asleep.” Emma said.

“What was it?”

“She asked me, ‘why does she do this to me?’”

“So, whatever this is about, we know that mom cries her eyes out at least once a year.” Emily said.

“I wonder where she goes every year.” Emma asked stopping at a red light.

“Maybe she hides in a cave or something.” Emily suggested. They rode in silence for the next 20 minutes.

When they finally reached their destination, Emma’s jaw dropped.

“I wonder what he does for a living to afford living in this place.” Emily gawked.

“Maybe he’s a brain surgeon.” Emma said laughing. “How are we supposed to get in?”

“Leave that up to me.” Emily said taking a deep breath. They walked into the building and to the front desk.

“We’re here to see Mr. Arthur Millur. He’s expecting us.” Emily said looking around the lobby.

“Your names?”

“Molly and Dinah Millur.”

“Let me check the computer.” As the man typed in the names Emily concentrated really hard.

“Ah yes, here you are. It’s room 643.”

Emily smiled and pulled Emma towards the Elevators.

“Nice job little sister.” Emma smiled proudly. “Now it’s my turn.”

They found the apartment and knocked on the door. A man in a white bathrobe answered the door.

“May I help you?”

“Are you Arthur Millur?” Emily asked

“Yes I am, what can I do for you?”

“You can go sit on the couch and watch tv and pretend we’re not even here.” Emma smiled walking past him. Emily watched astonished as Arthur did what he was told. She followed Emma up a set of stairs.

“I can’t believe she’s actually here.” Emily whispered.

“This place is huge.” Emma said going down another hall. She stopped in front of a half opened door. Emily stepped in first. The room was dim but visible. They covered their mouths at what they saw and tears streamed down Emma’s face. Shalimar was asleep on the bed, her clothes scattered around the room. Another set of clothes was on the floor too. Emily searched for the light switch and turned it all the way up.

“Arthur turn that light down.” Shalimar said without opening her eyes. Emily saw a champagne glass on the dresser nearest her. She picked it up and hurled it at the wall.

The crash woke up Shalimar. The feral was shocked at what she saw. Emily’s expression was full of anger and resentment. Emma’s face was covered in tears, she couldn’t take it anymore and walked out. Emily just stood there, looking at her with disgust.

“Emily, what are you doing here?”

“I’d ask the same thing but the answer is pretty obvious.” Emily said walking out of the room.

Shalimar put her clothes on as fast as she could and ran after them. She caught them at the elevator just before it closed.

“Explain yourselves!” She cried as the doors closed.

“Explain ourselves?! Explain ourselves!!. You’re the one who should be doing the explaining!” Emily shouted.

Shalimar pushed the emergency stop making the elevator stop between floors.

“How did you find me?”

“Why? Why would you do this to her?” Emma asked in a hushed voice.

“Did you follow me?”

“Mom cried herself to sleep, worried about you!” Emily kept screaming.

“Do not take that tone of voice with me!” Shalimar yelled back.

“What are you going to do? Strangle me like you did to mom!?”

Tears quickly sprung from Shalimar’s eyes.

“I didn’t know what I was doing. Emma knows that. She knows I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”

“And that’s supposed to make it better? Do you honestly think that just because she understands it hurts her any less? She feels exactly what you feel when you’re yelling obscenities at her. What makes it worse is that those horrible words and feelings are coming from the woman she loves. The mother of her children!” Emily’s words hit home and Shalimar’s mind reeled.

“I think I’m gonna be sick.” Emma said staring at her mother.

“You cheated on mom. Every year you’ve left the house, cheated on her and come back as if you’d done nothing wrong.” Emma looked at her mother with pure confusion written on her features.

“It’s not what you girls think.” Shalimar tried to explain, but Emma cut her off.

“I don’t understand how she even let you come back after knowing what you did. She shared her bed with you after you’d been with someone else.”

“What? She doesn’t know. She can’t know!” Shalimar pushed the elevator button and it started up again.

“I’ve got to go talk to her. Make her understand. She can’t know.”

“Well for someone who can’t know, she knows where you are and with who!” Emily said. The doors opened and the girls walked out first. Shalimar waited until the girls left the building before she got off the elevator. She headed for the parking lot and got in her car. Tears spilled down her face and she cried. Cried until she fell asleep with her head on the steering wheel.

to be continued...